Short answer: the Marshall Middleton if sound quality matters most, the Zealot S97 if price matters most. The Marshall Middleton ranks #34 of 105 large speakers, rated 4.0/5, at $215.80. The Zealot S97 ranks #62, rated 3.4/5, at $78.62, $137.18 cheaper.
The Marshall Middleton is the better-sounding, longer-running choice. Very deep bass for the size/weight. It is rated for 20 hours of battery against 12 for the Zealot S97. At 4 lbs (1.8 kg) it weighs much less than the Zealot S97 at 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg). The catch: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz.
The case for the Zealot S97: For a compact 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Marshall Middleton lacks. The catch: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music.
Buy the Marshall Middleton if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Zealot S97 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | Zealot S97 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $215.80 | $78.62 |
| Ranked | #34 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #62 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX6 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) | 12.6” x 7.3” x 5.9” (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 76mm (3”) woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 80W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Middleton: $215.80 Amazon $215.80 eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Middleton II, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5, released Jul 2025. It adds app control and adjustable EQ. Battery life goes from 20 to 30 hours. See every Marshall Portable Speakers generation.
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight. Measured bass extension of 39Hz (-10dB).
Cons: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz. 9kHz treble peak. Not a very smooth frequency response. A lot of Marshall’s added dsp echo which cannot be turned off, very distracting and annoying. It’s like forcing you to listen to your music in an echo chamber. Bass is reasonably deep but artificial sounding and flabby, with no attack and no dynamics. Treble is rolled off.
Full Marshall Middleton review and specifications →
| Released | Jan 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: 3 minutes ago….. Marshall Middleton Review, true stereophonic, no honestly 😊 More from alanrossreviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro MAX HiFi ?🆚 MARSHALL🎸MIDDELTON More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Marshall Middleton👌🎶 🆚 JBL Xtreme 4 🎶📢
- Mateusz Cholewa: Marshall Kilburn 3 vs Marshall Middleton
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More… More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Danny Pops: Is it Any Good? - Marshall Middleton Review More from DannyPops →
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Middleton vs Klipsch Detroit More from storytripperhd →
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Zealot S97: $78.62 Amazon $78.62 eBay
Pros: For a compact 3.3kg boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. It also brings IPX6 protection, aux and microSD playback, power-bank outputs, three EQ presets and PartyAdd linking.
Cons: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music. There is no app or fine-grained EQ, so the Vocal preset is the only practical way to improve the balance. It is still heavy for a speaker with this output ceiling.
Full Zealot S97 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 7.3” x 5.9” (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 76mm (3”) woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons